1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to N-phenethylacetamide compounds and to processes for preparing the same. More particularly, this invention relates to novel N-phenethylacetamide compounds represented by the formula (I): ##STR2## wherein X.sub.1 represents a lower alkoxy group, X.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkoxy group and R represents a phenyl group, a pyridyl group, a pyrimidinyl group or a benzoyl group, each of which may have one or more substituents selected from a halogen atom, a carbamoyl group, a lower alkoxy group, a sulfamoyl group, an amino group, a lower alkylamino group, a lower alkylthio group, a hydroxy group and a lower alkoxycarbonyl group.
The invention also relates to hydrates (hydrated crystals containing three molecules of crystallized water) or salts of the compounds of the formula (I) and to the process for preparing such compounds, their salts and their hydrates.
The compounds having the formula (I) above as well as the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and hydrates thereof have distinctive and unique anti-peptic ulcer activity in human and animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Up to now, a compound somewhat structurally similar to those of this invention, 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine (abbreviated as Dopamine) is known and is described by L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, (Fourth Edition), p. 234, 1970.
The compound, however, has not proved satisfactory for clinical use because of its undesirable side effects or insufficient activities as shown hereinafter.